Vacuum release stopper



July 3, 1956 H. MEESTER 2,753,069

VACUUM RELEASE STOPPER Filed April 11, 1955 Fig.2

Fig. .3

I Fig. 4 l7 Harm Meesfer INVENTOR.

United States Patent VACUUM RELEASE STOPPER Harm Meester, Marshall, Minn.

Application April 11, 1955, Serial No. 500,441

1 Claim. (Cl. 215-77) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in vacuum release stoppers for use with thermos bottles to equalize internal and external pressure while inserting and removing the stopper.

When hot liquid is placed in a vacuum or thermos bottle, it is difficult to etfectively seal the bottom with a conventional stopper due to the tendency of the stopper to pop out by pressure in the bottle and it is likewise difficult to remove the stopper after vacuum has been created therein. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to construct the stopper with vent means to release pressure or vacuum to overcome the aforesaid objections.

More specifically, the invention embodies the construction of the stopper with a vent passage adapted to be closed by a cap threaded on the stopper.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a group perspective view;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the stopper closed; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the stopper open.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a tapered bottle stopper of cork or other suitable material and having a central vertical tube 6 therein forming a vent passage in the stopper.

The lower end of the tube is formed with a flange 7 having upwardly projecting prongs 8 for embedding in the lower end of the stopper to anchor the tube thereto and the upper end of the tube is externally threaded to receive an adapter 9 which is formed with a vertical vent passage 10. A flange 11 is formed at the lower end of the adapter which is countersunk flush with the top of the stopper and a polygonal wrench engaging portion 12 is formed adjacent the lower portion of the adapter for tightening the same on the tube and the upper end of the adapter is externally threaded, as shown at 13.

An outer cap 14 of plastic or other suitable relatively thin ornamental material is provided with a relatively more durable metal internally threaded inner cap 15 which is cemented or otherwise suitably secured inside the outer cap and adapted for threading onto the upper end of the adapter 9 to seal the vent passage.

A retaining rod or wire 16 is slidable vertically in the tube 6 with the lower end of the wire bent at right angles to form a stop 17 and the upper end of the wire is soldered or otherwise suitably anchored inside the inner cap 15 to permit limited opening and closing movement of the cap and to prevent loss of the cap. The skirt portion of the outer cap 14 projects downwardly below the inner cap 15 and the rod 16 is constructed of suitable length to enable removal of the cap 14- from the adapter 9 for opening passage 10 to vent a bottle (not shown) in which the stopper is placed, while retaining the cap in covering position above the passage to prevent entrance of any foreign substance which might clog the passage.

When placing the stopper in a bottle, the cap 14 is first raised, as shown in Figure 4, to enable escape of air pressure inside the bottle and after the stopper is tightly inserted in the bottle, the cap is then closed to seal the bottle. When it is desired to remove the stopper, the cap 14 is also raised to permit filling of any vacuum in the bottle and thus facilitate removal of the stopper.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A pressure and vacuum release stopper for containers comprising a body of fibrous material having a bore therein, a vertical vent tube in the bore, an adapter threaded on the upper end of the tube and engaging the top of the body to seal the tube in the bore, said adapter being externally threaded at its upper portion and having a non-circular wrench engaging lower portion exposed above the body, a flange on the lower end of the tube, a prong on the flange and embedded in the bottom of the body to anchor the tube thereto while the adapter is being tightened on the top of the tube, a cap surrounding the adapter and having an internal diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the adapter to space the former from the latter, an internally threaded liner fixed inside the upper portion of the cap for threading onto the adapter, said cap projecting below the liner to form a skirt which remains in overlapping covering relation with the top of the adapter after unthreading the liner therefrom to open the tube, and loss preventing means connecting the lining of the cap to the body and limiting raising movement of the cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 189,611 Cristadoro Apr. 17, 1877 193,024 Newton July 10, 1877 1,732,571 Smith Oct. 22, 1929 2,385,847 Skar Oct. 2, 1945 2,579,202 Piccoli Dec. 18, 1951 

